Structural Connection of a Motor and Gear Unit

ABSTRACT

A structural connector for providing a structural interconnection between the housing of a gear unit and the housing of an electric motor, the structural connector being of a modular type including a base member adapted for connection to at least one of the housing of an electric motor and the housing of a gear unit, and at least two side wall members, the side wall members having a motor end adapted for connection to one of an electric motor housing and the base member and a gear end adapted for connection to a gear unit housing, the side wall members lying at least in substantial part in a plane inclined at an angle of at least 60 degrees relative to a plane containing at least a part of the base member, and the side wall members being spaced apart by connection to an interposed housing.

This invention relates to a structural connector for providing astructural interconnection between the housing of a gear unit and thehousing of an electric motor.

The invention relates also to a gear unit housing adapted for use withthe structural connector of the present invention and to a gear unitassembly comprising a gear unit and structural connector secured to thegear unit housing.

The invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to astructural connector for providing a structural interconnection betweena foot-mounted type electric motor and either a right angle or paralleltype gear unit whereby said electric motor and gear unit are positionedfor torque transmission therebetween and may be supported, by means ofthe structural connector, relative to equipment to which an output shaftof the gear unit is connected.

For driving conveyors it is common to employ shaft mounted gear units ofthe kind comprising a hollow shaft. To connect the gear unit in analigned relationship with a foot-mounted motor and other components suchas brakes it is common to employ a structural support bed as shown inFIG. 1 and comprising an integral assembly of welded components, or acasting, that provides base plate surfaces to which the gear unit andelectric motor are respectively mounted. Standardisation of the designof the structural support beds is difficult because of the variation ofsizes and heights of the motors and gear units which it may be wished tointerconnect, and also the required spacing of the gear unit and motor,for example to accommodate different types of couplings and brakes.Furthermore, the manufacture, handling and transportation of the supportbeds is difficult, particularly for those structural support bedsrequired to be of great length. Thus the present design is expensive andinconvenient.

One object of the present invention is to provide a structuralconnector, a gear unit housing, and a gear unit housing assembly inwhich at least some of the aforedescribed disadvantages of knownstructural support beds are mitigated or overcome.

In accordance with one of its aspects the present invention provides astructural connector for providing a structural interconnection betweenthe housing of a gear unit and the housing of an electric motor, saidstructural connector being of a modular type comprising a base memberadapted for connection to at least one of the housing of an electricmotor and the housing of a gear unit, and at least two side wallmembers, said side wall members having a motor end adapted forconnection to one of an electric motor housing and the base member and agear end adapted for connection to a gear unit housing, said side wallmembers lying at least in substantial part in a plane inclined at anangle of at least 60 degrees relative to a plane containing at least apart of the base member, and said side wall members being spaced apartby connection to an interposed housing.

Preferably said relative angle is at least 80 degrees, more preferably90 degrees, said relative angle being that as considered in a planeperpendicular to the rotational axis of the electric motor.

Said base member may be adapted also for connection to the housing of anelectric motor.

If the base member is connected only to the gear unit and not to theelectric motor, it is taught by the present invention that preferablythe motor end of the side wall members shall be secured to each of thebase member and electric motor.

If the base member is not connected to the gear unit, it is taught bythe present invention that preferably the gear end of the side wallmembers is connected to the base member.

One or each of a side wall member and base member may comprise at leasttwo sections, typically integral with one another, in which case it isto be understood that the above referred relative angle is to beconsidered as the angle between substantial parts of each of the memberssuch that each member serves to reinforce and inhibit distortion of theother member.

At least one of a side wall member and base member may comprise twosections each substantially planar and displaced to lie in planes spacedapart but substantially parallel with one another. Each said section maybe apertured or provided with other means to facilitate attachment ofthe housing of a gear unit or an electric motor.

The side wall members may be spaced apart by a base member which isconnected thereto or may be spaced apart by connection to an interposedhousing.

Preferably the side wall members each lie in a respective plane which issubstantially perpendicular to the direction in which the members liespaced apart.

The side wall members of a pair preferably each lie at an angle of atleast 60 degrees relative to said direction in which they are spacedapart by the base member, more preferably at least 80 degrees. A 90degree, i.e. perpendicular, orientation is particularly preferred formost installations.

Each side wall of a pair may comprise a spacer section between said gearend and motor end. Said motor end and spacer section may each be ofsubstantially elongate shape, and the spacer section may extend in adirection inclined relative to a lengthwise direction of the motor end.The side walls of a pair may be substantially identical thereby to allowa symmetrical assembly.

The motor end may be preformed with slots or holes for attachment of aside wall to a base member or a motor housing, for example by means ofbolts. Similarly, the gear end may be preformed with holes forconnection to a gear unit housing. The gear end also may be profiled toabut closely against a profile formed on the outer surface of the gearunit housing thereby to provide a mechanical interlock to augment aninterconnection provided by bolts extending through the gear end of aside wall to the housing of the gear unit.

The base member may be preformed with holes or slots for attachmentthereto of a foot-mounted electric motor.

The base member may be of a bent type construction comprising a flangededge or pair of edges extending perpendicular to a central base section,and apertures or like location means may be provided in the or eachflange portion for attachment of a side wall. Thus the inventionenvisages that a side wall member may be secured to a base member eithersubstantially directly or, alternatively or additionally, via thehousing of a gear unit or electric motor.

Although it is envisaged that typically the motor may be mounteddirectly to the base unit, to minimise or reduce the number of differentbase members potentially required for different applications, anintermediate spacer unit may be provided to interconnect between a motorand base member. Similarly, an intermediate member may be providedbetween the motor and a side member.

The present invention also teaches the provision of a series ofstructural connectors comprising a plurality of identical base members,and side wall members of substantially bespoke manufacture. The sidewall members may, for example, be formed by laser cutting or burnedready cut in form and with screw or bolt holes. The standardised basemembers likewise may be manufactured by laser or burned ready cut inform and with bolt or screw holes.

Whilst the invention teaches the provision of a series of structuralconnectors, and which may involve use of side wall members which areeach of substantially bespoke manufacture, the present invention furtherteaches that the side wall members need not each be of substantiallybespoke manufacture. There may a plurality of side wall members eachadapted to connect to a mounting face of one or a plurality of types ofgear unit or electric motor housings of a total range of types ofhousings, and said side wall members of each type having a secondmounting region for the housing of the other of an electric motor andgear unit, said second mounting section being adapted to allow forselective positioning of the other of the electric motor and gear unitrelative to the side wall member. Typically, for example, the secondmounting region of a side wall member may comprise a plurality ofmounting holes at least some of which are of an elongate shape therebyto accommodate a range of different standard housing mounting positions.

In accordance with another of its aspects the present invention providesa gear unit housing wherein, as considered relative to the rotationalaxis of the gear unit input shaft, the gear unit housing is providedwith a pair of mounting faces at substantially diametrically oppositepositions.

As considered in a plane perpendicular to said rotational axis, themounting faces of the gear unit housing preferably lie in planes betweenwhich the included angle is less than 60 degrees, more preferably lessthan 20 degrees. It is particularly envisaged that the mounting facesmay be contained in respective planes which are parallel relative to oneanother. It is further preferred that the mounting faces are eachequally spaced in distance from said rotational axis.

Each mounting face may be provided with screw threaded apertures forlocation bolts whereby a respective side wall of a structural connectorof the present invention may be secured to that face.

The present invention envisages that the gear unit housing ismanufactured by moulding or casting of metal or plastics material andthat the mounting face formed by said manufacturing process may beutilised for contact by a side wall member without further machining(other than machining as may be required to form screw threadedapertures), though the option for further machining is not excluded.

Said substantially diametrically opposite positions of the gear unithousing outer surface may be provided with abutments each for locationwith the gear end of a respective one of a pair of structural connectorside walls.

The present invention further provides in another of its aspects a gearunit assembly comprising a gear unit housing and a structural connectorof the present invention. The assembly may comprise a pair of side wallsarranged with the gear ends of said pair of side walls of the structuralconnector secured to respective mounting faces of the gear unit housing.

The spacing of the motor ends of a pair of side walls as defined by aninterposed base member may correspond with the spacing of the gear endsof the side walls as defined by the mounting faces of the gear unithousing. Alternatively, said respective spacings may intentionallydiffer whereby on bolting together of the side wall members to the basemember and gear unit housing there results a preloading of the side wallmembers thereby to enhance their stiffness and resist deformation underthe action of torque forces transmitted in use between the motor andgear unit.

Preferably, as considered in the plane of each side wall member of apair, each side wall is connected to the gear unit housing at positionseither side of the rotational axis of the gear unit input shaft.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference toaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a known motor and gear unit assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a motor and gear unit assembly of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a structural connector of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view in the direction X of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view in the direction of arrow Y of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show plan and end views of an intermediate spacer unit foruse in an assembly whereby a motor and a gear unit are supported by abase plate and their axes are not equally spaced from said base plate.

FIG. 1 shows an electric motor 10 and a gear unit 11 each havingmounting feet which are secured to a cast iron support bed base plate12. The base plate 12 has machined surfaced regions 13,14 to which themotor and gear unit are respectively secured. In order to ensure thatalignment of the rotational axis of the motor and the gear unit is notadversely affected, it is necessary to ensure that the machining of thesurfaces 13, 14 of the support bed is accurately controlled.

A gear unit and motor assembly in accordance with the present inventionis illustrated in FIG. 2.

A foot mounted type electric motor 21 is connected to a gear unit 22 bymeans of a structural connector 23 which will now be described in moredetail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

The structural connector comprises two side wall members 24, 25 eachcomprising a motor end 26, a gear end 27 and a spacer section 28.

The structural connector additionally comprises a base member assembly29 comprising a base plate 30 secured to a bent metal base support 31comprising a central section 32 which underlies the base plate 30 andtwo side wall flanges 33, 34 which extend downwards perpendicularlyrelative to the central section 32. Elongate apertures 35 are formed ineach side wall motor end and the flange portions 33, 34 are formed withcircular apertures whereby the base and side walls may be boltedtogether, with axial spacing (relative to the rotational axes of themotor and gear unit) being selectively adjustable in situ having regard,for example, to the dimensional variations of a coupling device 50connecting the motor and gear unit.

Each gear end 27 of a side wall is formed with a plurality of holes 40for retention bolts by means of which the side wall can be bolted to oneof the mounting faces 42 (see FIG. 2) provided at respectivediametrically opposite regions of the housing of the gear unit 22.

Each gear end additionally comprises a concave edge surface 44 said tolie, in the assembly, in close abutment against the raised formation 45of the gear unit housing adjacent the flange region 42.

The rotational axes 46, 47 of the gear unit input shaft and the motoroutput shaft are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and from FIG. 3 it will be seenthat the holes 40 are positioned, as considered in the plane of the sidewall 24, and in a direction perpendicular to the axis 46, to liesymmetrically about that axis.

The invention envisages that spacer members may be utilised to providethe required alignment with mounting faces.

In a construction which comprises a motor and gear unit for which theaxes of the motor and gear unit are not equally spaced from a planarbase plate, use may be made of an intermediate spacer unit 70 as shownin FIGS. 6 and 7. The unit 70 comprises a support plate 71 provided withfour holes 72 for connection to the housing of a motor (or gear unit)and four screw threaded studs 73 positioned to align with holes in abase plate. By providing each stud with a pair of nuts 74 to lie oneabove and one below the base plate it us possible easily to secure theplate 71 at a desired spacing from the base plate such that either agear unit or motor can be secured to the plate 71 in a manner whichensures alignment of the motor shaft and gear unit input.

By virtue of the present invention it is possible to provide astructural connection of a motor and gear unit which is more easilyfabricated and of lighter construction than the conventional supportbed. Furthermore, because the base portion of the structural connectorcan be standardised for a range of electric motors, and because the sidewall members can readily be cut and apertured in accordance withspecific requirements without substantial time delay, potentialwarehousing costs and delivery times are reduced.

1-33. (canceled)
 34. A structural connector for providing a structuralinterconnection between the housing of a gear unit and the housing of anelectric motor, said structural connector being of a modular typecomprising a base member adapted for connection to at least one of thehousing of an electric motor and the housing of a gear unit, and atleast two side wall members, said side wall members having a motor endadapted for connection to one of an electric motor housing and the basemember and a gear end adapted for connection to a gear unit housing,said side wall member lying at least in substantial part in a planeinclined at an angle of at least 60 degrees relative to a planecontaining at least a part of the base member, and said side wallmembers being spaced apart by connection to an interposed housing,wherein the gear end of at least a side wall member is profiled to abutclosely against a profile formed on the outer surface of the gear unithousing thereby to provide a mechanical interlock, wherein said gear endcomprises a concave edge surface said to lie, in the assembly, in closeabutment against a raised formation of the gear unit housing adjacent aflange region.
 35. A structural connector according to claim 34, whereinsaid mechanical interlock augments interconnection provided by bolts orlike attachment means which extends through the gear end of a side wallto the housing of the gear unit.
 36. A structural connector according toclaim 35, wherein a gear end of a side wall is formed with a pluralityof holes for retention bolts by means of which the side wall can bebolted to one of two mounting faces provided at respective diametricallyopposite regions of the housing of the gear unit.
 37. A structuralconnector according to claim 36, wherein said holes are positioned, asconsidered in the plane of the side wall, and in a directionperpendicular to the gear unit input axis, to lie symmetrically aboutthat axis.
 38. A structural connector according to claim 34, whereinsaid relative angle is at least 80 degrees.
 39. A structural connectoraccording to claim 38, wherein said relative angle is 90 degrees.
 40. Astructural connector according to claim 34, wherein said base member isadapted also for connection to the housing of the other of the electricmotor and gear unit.
 41. A structural connector according to claim 34,wherein at least one of a side wall member and base member comprises twosections each substantially planar and which are displaced to lie inplanes spaced apart but substantially parallel with one another.
 42. Astructural connector according to claim 41, wherein each said section isprovided with aperture means to facilitate attachment of the housing ofa gear unit or an electric motor.
 43. A structural connector accordingto claim 34 and comprising two side wall members, said side wall membersbeing spaced apart by a base member which is connected thereto.
 44. Astructural connector according to claim 43, wherein the side wallmembers of a pair each lie at an angle of at least 60 degrees relativeto said direction in which they are spaced apart by the base member. 45.A structural connector according to claim 44, wherein said relativeangle is at least 80 degrees.
 46. A structural connector according toclaim 45, wherein said side wall members lie perpendicular relative tothe two said directions in which they are spaced apart.
 47. A structuralconnector according to claim 43, wherein each side wall of a paircomprises a spacer section between said gear end and motor end.
 48. Astructural connector according to claim 47, wherein said motor end andspacer section each are of substantially elongated shape and said spacersection extends in a direction inclined relative to the length wisedirection of the motor end.
 49. A structural connector according toclaim 34, wherein the base member is preformed with means for attachmentthereto of foot mounted electric motor.
 50. A structural connectoraccording to claim 34, wherein the base member is of a bent typeconstruction comprising a flanged edge or a pair of edges extendingperpendicular to a central base section and location means is providedin the or each flange portion for attachment to a side wall.
 51. Astructural connector according to claim 34, and comprising anintermediate spacer unit to provide interconnection between a motor andbase member.
 52. A structural connector according to claim 34 andsubstantially as herein before described.
 53. A standardised series ofstructural connectors each of the type as recited in claim 34, saidseries comprising a plurality of substantially identical base membersand a plurality of side wall members of substantially bespokemanufacture.
 54. A standardised series of structural connectors each ofthe type as recited in claim 34, said series comprising a plurality ofsubstantially identical base members and a plurality of side wallmembers each adapted to interconnect to a mounting face of a pluralityof types of gear unit or electric motor housings of a range of types ofhousings.
 55. A series according to claim 54, wherein said side wallmembers of each type have a second mounting region for the housing ofthe other of an electric motor and gear unit, said second mountingregion being adapted to allow for selective positioning of the other ofthe electric and gear unit relative to the side wall member.
 56. A gearunit housing wherein, considered relative to the rotational axis of thegear unit input shaft, the gear unit housing is provided with a pair ofmounting faces as substantially diametrically opposite positions,whereby said mounting faces are such that a structural connectoraccording to claim 34 can be mounted to the gear unit housing.
 57. Agear unit housing according to claim 56, wherein the mounting faces liein planes between which the included angle is less than 60 degrees. 58.A gear unit housing according to claim 57, wherein said included angleis less than 20 degrees.
 59. A gear unit housing according to claim 58,wherein said mounting faces are contained in respective planes which areparallel at relative to one another.
 60. A gear unit housing accordingto claim 56, wherein said mounting faces are equally spaced in distancefrom said rotational axis.
 61. A gear unit housing according to claim56, wherein each mounting face is provided with screw threaded aperturesfor location bolts whereby a respective side wall of a structuralconnector according to claim 34 may be secured to that face.
 62. A gearunit housing according to claim 56, wherein substantially diametricallyopposite positions of the gear unit housing outer surface are providedwith abutments each for interlocking location with the gear end of arespective one of a pair of structural connector side walls.
 63. A gearunit housing according to claim 56 and substantially as herein beforedescribed.
 64. A gear unit assembly comprising a gear unit housing and astructural connector according to claim 34, wherein the gear ends of apair of side walls of the structural connecter are secured to respectivemounting faces of the gear unit housing.
 65. A gear unit assemblyaccording to claim 64, wherein the gear unit housing, consideredrelative to the rotational axis of the gear unit input shaft, isprovided with a pair of mounting faces as substantially diametricallyopposite positions, whereby said mounting faces are such that astructural connector can be mounted to the gear unit housing.
 66. A gearunit assembly according to claim 65, wherein the spacing of the motorends of a pair of planar side wall members differs from the spacing ofthe gear ends of the side wall members whereby, in the assembledcondition, a preloading exists between the side wall members.